F AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN
AXD
GENESEE EVANGELIST.
r.i.U'iors asd family kewspaper
I.V TJJF. IVTKItEST OF THE
institutional Presbyterian Church.
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
T THE PRESRTTERIAN HOUSE,
t Strcet,*f2d <Uory,l Philadelphia
Jhhn W. Mears, Editor and Publisher.
OUR HEW-YEAR,
perinb-'on of a faroring Providence,'
ag cherished purpose of the conduc
ed'this paper is now|kecompllshed, and
■end forth our New -Jsear’s greeting to
numerous friends and readers upon an
:ged sheet, filled with valuable and en
duing matter to old and young. It
« us unfeigned pleasure to make this
number of the enlarged series the ve-
of our kind wishes for the new year
! Header!'we commtind you heartily
he grace of God; and-pray that the
on which we have entered may be
;_'ht with blessings temporal and spirit
i to you and.yours. Man of God, preach
-6f the word, may the year be happy
j irlorious in the abundance of fruit you
ji witness to your labors! Messenger of
1 cross in home and foreign field, may
? see the wilderness blossom, the dark
-- iighteD, and the joyful harvest of many
Ojrul sowings brought in ! suf-
I & wearing the thorny crovfif' the
t'«* heart beneath, may you this-yearbe
: happy in the consolations of the gos
; -u the assured sympathy of Him who
oj ;o heal the broken in heart, in all the
ueuble fruits of righteousness that grow
:of sanctified affliction \ Troubled Chris-
:. who walk in darkness and see no
who are almost bewildered by the spe
> devices of scientific unbelief, whose
yer? are cold, whose labors and denials
< Ihrist are few, and whose inner life and
.■r influence are feeble, may this be your
r of revival and restoration to the ardor,
; joy, the energy of a first love. Parent!
y you this year be happy in the conse-
.•{ion of your child to Christ! Sabbath
; .,iol teacher, may you rejoice this year in
j- manifest advance of your pupils in
iriptural knowledge, in the conversion of
.ir souls, and in your own inoreased ap
j oiutidn of the spiritual nature and bloss
privilege of the work !
» Soldiers of the Union on land and on sea,
happy, thrice happy New Year to you!
uve defenders of our national existence,
(apy you this 1 year behold the consumma
of your wishes and ours; the compie
n of the great work to which you have
voted your lives! Happy beyond all
3t years of our existence, may this year
ove in bringing you back from the bloody
Ids of strife alivo and victorious, with the
‘ty consciousness of having established the
ithority of the government, vindicated the
jroduess of its laws, and made good its
meticent purpose to give freedom to the
in every foot of rebellious terri
tory. But if you should fall in these last
pjtuggles, may your year be still happier
Mm ever, when as victors over death and
|J/V you shall be crowned in the palace of
$V‘. and live and reign with Christ forever
nr ever.
\ ith the help of God, we shall do our
, to make the New Year a happy one to
all. . As divine aid shall be granted,
will aid in the work of instructing, guid
and quickening you and the children
'our homeß, in making you intelligent,
'out, and enterprising followers of Christ,
a
f r
i
ini in edifyiDg the church and promoting
te advance of Christ’s kingdom among men.
'V r e ask your sympathy, your prayers, and
bur co-operation. Encourage and stand by us
;V our extended efFort this year to promote
ti-ur usefulness and enjoyment. Many hare
{ready responded; many more have it in
ioir hearts to do so. We look forward to
VI .
I happy year m witnessing the constantly
jicreasing prosperity and popularity of the
. |mcrican Presbyterian and the Banner of
Covenant among the people of their rc
p®tive churches.
the prospectus, terms, premiums, &c.,
, ,vjP be found in another part of the paper.
ENCOURAGING RESPONSES.
Almost immediately upon the announce
icnt of our purpose to enlarge our paper,
‘ began to receive the most hearty and
ibstantiai tokens of appreciation from onr
[ends. And responses have continued to
pie in from every quarter of our field,
Ith renewals of old subscriptions and large
,-essions of new names. Almost every
aiit brings us the name of a Home Mis
iohary with thanks for the manner in
vhich .our terms are accommodated to his
irqnmstnnces and with promises of assist
j.’jw hi extending the circulation of the
Some of our old subscribers have
bsrfeded to the call made upon
idd lone each” to the list. Others have
iritila or called at the office attherecom
|en dation of friends, and subscribed for
Jemfeelves. Bat the pastors of the
lurches are stirring themselves most effi
jatly. From two of the Reformed Pres-
Kerian churches we have received twelve
New Series. Vol. 1, No. 1. \
~ '
and fourteen new names respectively, with
promises of more. Prom a Presbyterian
pastor in Erie Presbytery we this week re
ceived iwenty-eighl new names, with the.
pay, in a single enclosure. His charge is
by no means extensive and his success he
tells us “ was] the fruit of but a few hours
determined labor.” Other pastors have
sent names in smaller numbers, and still
others are at work and report partial re
sults of a similar characters.
TJe refer our friends,: for list of premiums
to the Prospectus on the Bth page.
At the suggestion of a pastor, we have
prepared a prospectus, with ruled lines for
names, addresses and amounts, for distri
bution in the pews of such churches as de
sire to make an effort for extending our
circulation. We will furnish them in
quantities on applieatiou at this office.
A WEEK OF PRAYER AND UNION.
While we write, the happy suggestion of
the devout American Missionary on the
other side of the globe, in regard to a week
of united prayer among Christians of de
nominations and in every clime, is, for the
fourth time, in due course of observance.
Already the custom has became dear to the
hearts of believers and-seems in a fair way
to bo established among us, like the feasts of
Dedication and Purim among the Jews, with
out express requisition from the Master.
It seems a proof of a higher degree of spon
taneity in prayer and mutual regard between
Christians. It is the expression, doubtless,
of love, of delight in such exercises, which
not only fulfills, cheerfully, hut which anti-'
ci pates and exceeds, the measures of duty.
We cannot but regard the practice, so long
as it is well and earnestly sustained, as in
dicating a higher degree of spiritual life and
unity in the churches. We have done with
ecumenical councils and Synods, as expres
sions of the visibly unity; we are inaugura
ting a prayer meeting, which may be called
ecumencial, in their stead.
God will hear these prayers; he has
hoard them in times past. Nay; is not
this Christian sympathy and this very spi
rit of prayer an -answer ? It is a token for
good. God is to jprny, and
by that, most signally proves that he both
haß heard and is preparing still further to
answer these prayers. While we speak to
gether, we hear of his manifestations among
■the people. The meetings are enlivened
with proofs that we are not seeking in vain.
In the meeting of Monday morning, at But
tonwood St. Church, the encouraging fea
tures of the Foreign Missionary work were
presented by Mr. McLeod, from which it
appears that God, in answer to prayer, is
sending forth laborers into the field, raising
them more abundantly than ever from the
native converts, while Dr. Brainerd showed
that the success of the missionary work,
judged by the figures presented, was at
least as great on the average as the work at
home. On Tuesday afternoon, at the meet
ing in Trinity M. E. Church, Mr. Geo. H.
Stuart spoke of the work of God as he had
witnessed it in the army. •It was. marvel
lous and cheering indeed. At Camp Con
valescent, the inquirers and the serious
among the soldiers were counted by thou
sands. The prayers of pious^relatives and
of the church at home for the soldiers, are
receiving answers. Within a space of fif
teen miles square in Virginia, thirty-three
log churches are in course of erection for
the soldiers without costing a cent. The
Christian Commission is furnishing canvas
roofs, made from old sails, for the log walls.
So white is the field for the harvest, so
abundant will now be the accommodations
for religious services, that thirty qualified
laborers are now asked for this work in the
army.
The reader will find in the second
page of our paper an account of the pro
gress of God’s work in Lawrence, Mass.,
where the most signal displays of his mer
cy have been enjoyed, and where the laity
are zealously 00-operating with the ministry
in extending the work. And we are per
mitted to copy part of a private letter to a
relative in this city,- from the pastor of the
Third Church, New Albany, Ind., Rev. C.
Hutchison, dated Dec. 23d, which de
scribes a great and cheeringmanifestation of
divine grace in the conversion of sinners in
that community.
[The letter which wo designed for inser
tion in this number will appear next week. ]
These are the very items of intelligence
that we wish, at such a period, to hear.
They are providentially communicated,
doubtless, to encourage our faith, and to
bring us unitedly to lay a firm hold upon
the promises of a covenant keeping God.
May they but presage the grand, universal,
saving results of this season of prayer.
PHILADELPHIA, THUR'SD
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE.
If one would contemplate the most ma
jestic marvel of human thought, moving
under the clearest law, and advancing
with the regularity almost of the heavenly
bodies, he need but turn to the fascinating
and deeply instructive study of Christian
doctrine, as systematized by the latest and
best writers on the subject. Here he will
see the most powerful minds grappling
with the most profound truths and myste
ries of being and destiny. Here are high
debates, conflicts of the ages, wars of the
giants. Here is the precious inheritance,
of revealed truth assailed, defended, eluci
dated, developed and kept moving in its.
pure, though winding course, unsullied*
amid the utmost efforts to divide, pollute,-
or evaporate its streams. Here is discern-'
ed the finger of God’s providence and
breath of His Spirit, as clearly as in any,
part of His dealings with man. ■ Here, as
plainly as in the Assyrian invasion of the
Holy Land, may wo see the error and the
wrath of man made to- praise God. Here
is the thousand years which are as one
day; the slow-moving process by whichs
the church, learning patience, works out!
the full and perfect statement of her faith!
her creed. Here is a noble and brilliant!
array of great characters to be seen ; his-J
toric personages in whose single life were 1
embodied and concentrated the spirit of 1
the age and the church ; God-fearing men, J
devoting their great gifts arid energies toJ
the service of the truth, comibuning witMi
angels, warring with devils! moulding /,
the characters and destinies of ineratioL Ij
to come. \ II
It is a great undertaking to i,
these cyclic movements of
thought. So wide-is the subject,
tiform, so susceptible of being it
from divers points of view, that tl
lect of a single inquirer can rarely tl
to the whole task. What is called!
history, in its fullest sense, is an l;ei
to carry forward by the side of the ten
history of the church, in its conflic wj
the world, inwarmoi
ment of the Christian mind. Nenlcrl
tmpted. this “
hristian Keligion andChuriih,” toSu!
partial success. Generally that ineiaf i
abandoned, and the History of DoAe
in the later division of labor among®is
tian writers, falls into a distinct l®ch.
The result has been to add to our ®lo
gical literature some of its most
ing and valuable features. The v'ff o!
Kliefoth, of Hageubach, and otheW the
same line, furnish some of the ricbjead
ing that an. intelligent man c.Jwtve
They are also among the strongesjpnce
of our faith. A powerful staten®s f
good as a powerful argument® tl
full, clear and philosophic statenyk'
such investigations enable us M ve
Christian doctrine, carries con® wit.
it. They put Christianity ° ! W lri * :a £ e
ground, and allow it to testiV ttse’
with the unanswerable argunfflP a ’
found and homogenous system
We accord, therefore, a mofi r ty ■
come to the first attempt in l‘t
ture to give a philosophical tatl °
the history of Christian d< ' s front
the pen of that accompli ‘ r an d
writer on theological
G. T. Shedd, of Uuio. 7,
York. It is ably, thoi inde
pendently done, and is to the
theological literature of ' r 7 W«
shall not detain our 1 aa e ! a '
borate criticism of the
scarcely be told that it iar fr °T a
lacking in works of ' aal s s°'
larship at this time- e W'
gelical spirit. Nor ,rise
to hear our author, ;sant a |r
is with the whole c< anna ? tfj o
logy and philosop. himself n
more indebted to ' -hers, that t
the great lights of * i
the preceding cenl style iseh
gant, pure, gracefi earisoml; 1
self a powerful ai sb °f' '
have here no h kwardlyfc, j
slated mass of few W e c
of which is damf hatural&s
character, but » 7 nat |' e f ljc 1
in style and mf iDg ’ w itlijCf i
nistic soundness ie ’ tbe P en [
of which would ; ab - le cxe fis
the head and tb c trast
Merest our cleri m °^ e 6T
' e , and will
and apprehem
* Shedd.
by "Win. G.
Bvo., pp. 408,
bner. Philad*
lish & Co. Pri
Christian Doctrine,
/%' two volumes.
¥ork: Charles Seri*
sale by Smith, Eng-
JANUARY 1 , 18 6
em, bi
keep
ptioa j
je&ngri
sir. past!
sse ; ,adjiiiJ
| like to i
Jtake the
'regard a
' Ending hilintroduction on methodolo
: 'says:
[This plan f f-a is also
(an for a life long course of private stu
hnu investi| xtion. The entire history
frs general aspects may be investigated
lei and wider-deeper and deeper, or a
!?e'section may be made the subject of
ly for 3 cars. The history of an indi
iial doctrine may be,, selected, and the
j.ent find matter enough in it to occupy
i a life-time. What an interest would
thrown around the clerical life of one,
p, in the providence of God, is separated
n educated men and large libraries, by
acting about him the principal works
n the doctrine of the atonement, e. g.,
a the patristic, scholastic, reformed and
•;ent periods, and making them his study
a few hours every week. What a va
jli, yet substantially identical soteriology
|ild pass slowly, but impressively before
Sjjcontinually expanding and strengthen
u mind, carrying him, back contiiiuallv
Bin scripture matter,
I,of which thisjßpimatic literature has
In expanded, whaTa determined strength
I broad comprehensiveness oftheologi-
I character would be gradually and so
fU- built up, like a coral isle, in that man’s
fad.”
/ OF OHEIST
must strike tile least careful observer
theological discussions of the. age
lit the ground upon which controversies
lire waged a hundred or even twenty
l-nrs ago, has strangely shifted. Excel
|iit, unalterable in their influence, as are
iie arguments of Pgley, . Butler and the
men who werg their contemporaries
uni. followers; still we must confess that
the skepticism which would over
vljlit-.djw all that/christian hope would rever
qntlv cling to, has abandoned the old and
lv|dcfeii3ii>ie works to occupy new ones of
as to cause the dtsfwidem'or
r l«rnti'on,"of 1 lieVeiatfOiTtnd “Faith; to'
S sS ncw combinations, hardly thought
> oj| the good men gone. And this very
faf °f the continual changing of the
jjffuls of skeptical controversy must
\ i ! to him who holds to the old ways a
’ ■ * >g—nay, one of the strongest proofs of
I’ h perpetuity of our holy religion.—
' stianity must progress, but there is a
M > difference between progress and
i ge ; change is death, this nature tells
3 and progress is life.
1 l. Ernest Henan, the author of tho
? fceady celebrated “Life of Jesus,” before
k f publication, was Professor of Hebrew
of jf ttie “ College de France Not much
r as known of him outside of France, until
•ithm the last year or two; for although
as published several works, they seem
to- I f.t to have had the effect of this later
bok; which, however is but a, develope
wel- lent of opinions advanced in his earlier
stings. The book has unquestionably
thieved no mean measure of distinction.
L Freres, the original French publisher,
as sold nine editions of it; and'doubtless
lere is not a priest in France who has not
t‘e this either anathematized it heartily, or
se not at all; if he thought well of it.
fie author, a Breton by birth, is one of the
nost learned men in France, possessing a
strong speculative spirit, and a peculiarly
uiscinating eloquence and grace in writing.
(Tfe book was written in Palestine in the
fjwjnjtjr of IS.<4, about the close of an
expedition sent out by the French govern
ment for the exploration of Phoenicia.
M. Itenan says: “All that history which,
5 * afar oft" seems to float amidst the clouds of
a shadowy world, acquired a body and
0 solid reality to me. I had be
fore my eyes a fifth evangel, torn, but pos
sible to be read, so that henceforward,
through the medium of the accounts of
Matthew and Mark, I have seen in place
of an abstract being—such as one would
say never existed—a grand human figure,
life-full and moving." Oh! weak, poor
eyes that call our Saviour “an abstract
being;” blame not "‘the,clouds ” nor “the
fifth evangel,” nor St.' Matthew and St.
Mark—but M. Renan’s eyes. The book
rejects entirely what is miraculous—not
any philosophy of the schools of
but because of “experience.”
thinks that “ if ever the worship
of Jesus becomes feeble among men, it will
(>e precisely on account of the acts which
originally made men believe in him. ” Here
on
of
>k,
•sal
if to
ij in
'Tajing
Genesee Evangelist, No. 920.
ie charm of its noble philosophy,
[i the stutHes -which the inter
lastoral life make so difficult.
;ion could not more gracefully
|ir; interest in the studies of
than by p?esenting to him
>le volumes. As they would
irk a passage for his notice,
Nrty of quoting, one which
appropriate. The author in
comes in a difference between the idea of
Strauss and that of Renan. Strauss calls
the miracles myths, brain figments of men
who lived after Christ. Renan believes
them to be a part of Jesus’ plan of decep
tion! Our blessed Lord and Master is
turned into a presdigitateur, and even that
"beautiful episode,” it has been called, of
the raising of Lazarus from thp dead; all
a pious fraud; the weeping of the Lord,
the rolling away of the stone, the dead
body, a moment ago, now filled with life;
all stage effect. There is nothing in the
whole book that will so jar the soul of the
believer as this fearful explaining away of
the story which, next to Christ’s dying on
the cross, keeps us near Him. Of course
there is an assumption from the very first
that Christ is human. Every line of M.
Renan’s book is written of a man; how
glad we should be that it is not our Christ
whb is described. And yet, while we
follow him through the story, and notice
the devotion, the reverence the author
appears to have for Jesus, as a man, we
are pained and again gladdened— pained
at the sad faithlessness of him who writes,
and gladdened in the warm light which he
throws about the pilgrimage of Christ. It
seems to us that one, whom Christ’s blood
has marked, can in reading much of this
book find food for his faith; for no stronger
expression could we find anywhere of some
of the reasons for our Lord’s divinity,
than we find in it. But it is perilous
reading; there is no small danger of losing
sight of what makes the Christ of lift
true believer, his Divine nature. Christ
is represented as the'grandest human
being who ever walked the earth; as if
that were a compensation for our lost
Lord. He is supposed to be an ignorant
Jew; "the young carpenter of Galilee;”
acted upon by the circumstances of his
nation during his life ; he begets within
himself a grand idea of God as “the
Father ;” his-views of his own mission are
modified every -day, until it reaches the
consummation, which is a proclamation of
the near approach of the “Kingdom of
Heaven,” and the final; revolution' -of the
vague, and the attempt
the human actor are, in spite of poetry,
and incomprehensible, though gorgeous,
explanations—nothing more than a failure.
Jesus is supposed to know nothing of
Greek; the language he speaks is Aramaic.
A-prophet named Hillel, who lived fifty
years before Jesus, is represented as his
master in an indirect way; and the aphor
isms of Hillel taught our Lord his mssion.
The Psalms, the Prophets, and especially
the book of Daniel, seem to have been his
special study; the scenery of Galilee, his
boyhood’s home, is supposed strongly to
influence him through life ; and, what M.
Renan seems especially to dwell upon, is
the difference between the actuating motive
of the religion founded by Christ and the
religions of other men. His was a religion
founded on love of God to man ; theirs-
religions founded on God’s mastership.
The Gospels receive the most unfortunate
treatment; miracles are unceremoniously
scissored out—and a nice theory "written
on clean paper is pasted carefully in the
place. St. John’s gospel and St: Liike’s
gospel are especially badly treated.' St,
Matthew’s and St Mark’s are favorites
though St. Mark is accused of not being as
original as he might be, which probably
means that he did not say enough in sup
port of M. Renan’s theory. The story of
Lazarus is probably the strangest in the
book
Lazarus pretends to be dead ; his
sisters bury him, sending for Christ in' the
meantime and he raising him from the
dead—loses his equability not long after,
and when the authorities have been
thoroughly aroused, brings on a hostile'
meeting between his disciples and the
Jews and soon is crucified. And yet M.
Renan holds, without doubting, the doc
trines in the sermon on the Mount; he
seems, however, in his support of these
an\f other sayings of Christ, to make con-
cessions to his divinity, that it is impossible
to consider with him, even while he him
self is talking; that Christ is a man.
The book has called forth almost number
less answers in Franco and a few strong
advocates and palliators, which last M.
Renan would just as leave had not written
at all. Men with the firmest belief in
Christianity like De Presense, and Deists
like Larroque—have replied to it; and
strangely too, both in reprobation. The
Deist, much as he likes a Christ shorn of
His divinity, has an instinctive dread of
even what hollow laudation the Saviour
TERMS.
By mail $2.00 per annum in advance.
‘‘ *' 2.50 " after 3 months.
By carrier 50 cents additional for delivery.
Ten or more papers sent by mail to one
church or locality, or in the city to one address,
By mail S 1.50 per annum.
By carriers 2,00 “ “
To save trouble, club subscriptions must
commence at the same date, be paid strictly in
advance, in a single remittance, for which one
receipt will he returned.
Ministers and ministers' widows supplied at.
club rates. Home missionaries at Si.oo per
annum.
Postage. Five cents quarterly in advance, to
be paid by subscribers at the office of delivery.
receives from Renan. Some of the answers
have suggestive titles if nothing else —“ A
false life of Jesus; or, M. Ernest Renan,
historian, philosopher and poet-/’ “Re
marks on a Romance called the ‘ Life, of
Jesus,’ ” “ The gospel according to Re
nan.” In the title of another work an
inquiry is made about the Devil,; but, when
read it is resolved into an inquiry about
M. Renan. Let us hope that whatever
evil has been done will be more than
neutralized by the discussion which must
follow the book wherever it goes.
M. Renan teaches very plainly human
selfishness. Eor 5000 years :and more,
men believed .that “ we” were the centre
of the universe, and that all the stars in
tiie sky moved for our benefit. It was
quite a stunning anouncement to learn
that we were mistaken.
Shall we never learn, in looking upon
the Lamb slain since the foundations of
the world, to regard Him as the One far
above us in His Divinity ■ that Christ was
not fashioned for us, but we for Him
MOEE SUEPBISES.
Ori Wednesday evening, 23d ult., in the
FirstfPresbyterian Church, Kensington,
just as the Pastor, Rev. W. T. Eva, was
about to close' the religious service, the
sexton stepped : foTward to the desk, and
put into his hand a note, with the request
that he should then examine its contents.
He did so, when lo! to his surprise he
found it to contain the sum of $215 in
greenbacks, accompanied with a fittingly
worded request, that he;W(spi| accept the
enclosed as a gift~a
slight and re
gard of his eongrej*jr§bh ' requeht
of course the Pastor complied with, ac
knowledging the testimonial' few
words pf gratitude and love. On the
next evening a committee of the ladies
of the congregation waited on the Pas
tor’s wife, and in behalf of those whom
%»V
alsi
Christinas day. a very handsome
and sent me $250, 'a
free-will
ciation of my kindly'
feelings towards me.’”
The Pastor of Rer^
W. W. Taylor, received-front his congre
gation, as a Christmas present, $l5O. It
was given by willing hearts -and ready
hands. - •'
Another Pastor Surphtsto —The
Christmas Festival of the
Church Sabbath-schools waa„ffae of the
happiest of all the ,
The lecture-room
rated with evergreens,
little ones were delighted with the j&a&r _
dant and beautiful fruit of the Chrisjpigs
Tree. .. The feast of good things
faeed by singing and addresses,
presentation of elegant and valuable
books to the superintendent, Mr. George
Boyd. The New Year’s prayer meeting
at this church was largely attended, not
withstanding the rain. As the pastor,
Rev. Daniel March, entered the lecture
room he received an envelope containing
$4OO, ‘‘presented as a New Year’s token
of regard from the members of his congre
gation.’’ Tins, added to similar tokens of
kindly and /generous appreciation re«
ceived by Mr. March from his people ;
within the year, amounts to about $1,009.
A Minister Surprised by Santa Claus in
Person. —On Christmas eve,, while the .
ladies of the Church of South; brange,N.-
J., were holding a Festival at?*tHe Ofapgib
Mountain House, Santa Claus himself,
dressed all in furs, with the veritable pack
upon his back, appeared in the midst of
the gay scene, and, after
young and old with his antics and thejpeiv
fection of his costume, placed himieif in '
front of theijiastor of the; church, Rev; J.
Allen Maxwell, and in a neat little
presented him 1 with a packet
the handsome sum of $2OO, the gift of a '
few friends of; his congregation.
novel mo&e # presentation, and
prise to which it gave occasionin’®
this one of the most y;
have heard of this season. \
CLUBS.
J. I. F.